"Did you both go into the cottage?" asked the bailie.
"No," said Jack, "Steenie ran away down to the town to tell the doctor. I went into Mary's mysel'. But Mary was away at Kirkwall, ye ken. I saw that some person had been there, however; for the peats were still hot, and there was some roasted potatoes on the table, forbye a cloth that had blood on it."
"And you waited about there until Dr. Linklater came?"
"Yes, Mr. Duke."
"Now do you recognize this as the gun you found?" Mr. Duke asked, touching my fowling piece.
"Ay, that's just it," replied Jack.
Bailie Thomson then asked: "Have you ever seen the gun before, Paterson?"
"No," said Jack.
"What! have you never seen Ericson with it?"
"Never," said Paterson, "though they tell me it is Halcro's gun."